FAA tells controllers to brown bag it

PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 10 (UPI) -- New federal aviation rules are putting an end to trips through the local fast-food drive-thru for U.S. air traffic controllers.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that as of last month, controllers are not allowed to leave their workplaces during an eight-hour shift.

Air controllers used to be allowed to leave a facility for 30 minutes with a supervisor's approval, the newspaper said. The FAA said the change was made to ensure controllers are in immediate position to oversee air traffic.

While the FAA says it provides controllers with access to microwaves and refrigerators, Shane Ahern, president of the Palm Beach International Airport Control Tower chapter, told the Sun-Sentinel the new rule is a "distraction."

Other new FAA measures contested by the controllers' union include restrictive sick leave and vacation policies and a dress code that prohibits sneakers, the newspaper said.